Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2004-05: Jerome Samson played his rookie season with the Moncton (QMJHL). In 63 regular season games, he scored 6 goals with 11 assists and was -4 with 22 PIM. Appeared in 12 playoff games for the Wildcats, scoring 1 goal with 4 assists, 8 PIM and was -2.

2005-06: Increased his offensive output in his second season with Moncton, scoring 20 goals with 32 assists and finishing +17 in 62 regular season games. In Moncton's run to the Memorial Cup, he scored 6 goals with 12 assists and 15 PIM and was +9. Following the tournament Samson won the George Parsons Trophy for sportsmanship.

2006-07: Samson began the season with Moncton before being traded to the Val d'Or Foreurs in December. He was named QMJHL Offensive Player of the Week for a nine-point in three game performance and Player of the Month for January after tallying 17 goals and 19 assists in 13 games, including a 10-game goal scoring streak. In 71 games between Moncton and Val'd'Or, Samson scored 44 goals with 55 assists with 36 penalty minutes and a +3 rating. Samson scored 13 of his 23 power play goals with the Foreurs and was also a threat on the penalty kill, scoring four times. The Hurricanes signed him as a free agent to a three-year contract in July.

2007-08: In his first pro season, Samson was an offensive threat the AHL Albany River Rats, tying leading scorer Jamie Johnson for second on the team with 21 goals, 12 of which came on the power play. He also had 18 assists and a plus/minus of -11 in 65 games. Samson was one of several River Rats to miss time due to injury but he was able to return for the post-season scoring a goal and adding an assist and was -2 in seven games with Albany.

2008-09: The season was a tough one on and off the ice for the River Rats, but Samson's play was one of the few bright spots as he not only scored goals but also flourished as a play-maker and also proved to be abrasive at times. In 70 regular season games, he scored 22 goals with 32 assists to tie Jakub Petruzalek for the team lead in points while accumulating 56 PIM. His disappointing -18 plus/minus was indicative of his sometimes spotty play on the defensive end but also reflected Albany's struggles.

2009-10: Samson was the top player for a much-improved Albany club, finishing with 37 goals and 41 assists and +8 in 78 games as the River Rats returned to the AHL playoffs. Samson, who had been passed over in the past by drafted prospects when it came time for NHL call-ups, finally made his debut with Carolina in his third season in the organization. Despite seeing limited minutes, he proved capable of competing at the NHL level and had a pair of assists in seven games – though his 10 PIM were a bit discouraging. Back in Albany for the playoffs, Samson was the River Rats top scorer with 6 goals and 3 assists in 8 games as the River Rats swept Scranton-Wilkes Barre before falling to eventual Calder Cup champion Hershey. Signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Hurricanes in June.

2010-11 – Samson saw his first sustained NHL action after almost four seasons of being a high-scoring prospect for the Hurricanes at the AHL level. With Carolina, he proved capable of playing well in a fourth-line, energy and puck control role. In 23 games with Carolina he had 2 assists and was an even plus/minus while averaging just under seven minutes per game. Prior to his call-up in mid-February, he was scoring at a point-per-game pace for Charlotte and was selected for the AHL All-Star Game. In 53 games with Charlotte, he had 26 goals with 28 assists and was +7 with 44 PMs. Samson scored six times on the power play and also had two short-handed goals.

2011-12: Samson made his first NHL appearance of the season in January after beginning the year with AHL Charlotte — playing in three games with the Hurricanes — and skated in a total of 16 games with Carolina while shuffling between the Hurricanes and the Checkers. Playing primarily a checking, energy role for the Hurricanes, he scored 2 goals with 3 assists and was minus-three with 8 penalty minutes; averaging 12 minutes of ice time per game. Samson was one of the key offensive forwards for the Checkers, scoring 20 goals with 17 assists in 57 games. Nine of his 20 goals came on the power play and he was minus-nine with 26 penalty minutes. He was re-signed to a one-year contract by Carolina in July, 2012.

2012-13: Samson spent his sixth pro season in the AHL with Charlotte and was limited to 37 games due to injury. He scored 7 goals with 11 assists and was +7 with 27 penalty minutes. . The Checkers finished second in the South Division and lost to third-place Oklahoma City in a first round playoff series. Samson did not play in the series. He was signed to a one-year contract by Winnipeg as an unrestricted free agent in July, 2013.

Talent Analysis

Samson is not as big as some of the other forwards in the Hurricanes system but he has been the most productive player in their minor league system the past two seasons. His strength is his energy level and tenacity in the offensive end along with significant offensive instincts. Sometimes lacks consistency in his defensive play but has improved since his first season in the Hurricanes organization. May be a bit of a tweener in that his skill level may not be that of a consistent scorer at the NHL level while he does not have the size and strength of traditional "energy" line forwards.

Future

Samson will play in the Winnipeg Jets organization in 2013-14, most likely in the AHL.

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Photo: Norfolk Admirals goaltender and Anaheim Ducks prospect John Gibson was having a strong showing in the 2014 AHL playoffs before getting the call to play for the Ducks in Game 4 of their series against the Los Angeles Kings (courtesy of Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

The 2014 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs are in mid-swing and there have been plenty of upsets in the Eastern Conference, which saw all three regular season division champions fall in the first round. While the Western Conference might have taken the spotlight winning most of the league’s awards and honors, there are plenty of Eastern Conference players who continue to show they’re ready to take on a larger role with their respective NHL affiliates next season.